Alanya Snyder is a credentialed teacher who has taught in classroom and independent study contexts for over 15 years. Alanya's expertise includes encouraging self-directed learning and facilitating youth-designed, individualized reading and writing programs. Her scholarly research focuses on the connection between self-directed learning and social justice. She has homeschooled her children for five years.

Michlene Cotter Norwood is the Oakland Representative for AERO (Alternative Education Resource Organization) and a homeschool parent/teacher for over a decade. Michlene is an educator who combines out-of-the-box thinking with extensive knowledge of existing educational options. She has also been a childbirth doula since 2000. She has a BA from New School University, NYC. Michlene is currently working on a photojournalism book entitled Simply Family: An Evolution of Self Through Raising People. She has three children, ages 6, 13 and 17.